Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Page 2 Quickie: August 30, 2005
The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
YANKEE. PRIDE.
Jason Giambi for AL MVP?!?!
2 more HR, 4 RBI on Monday:
That's 4 and 11 in 2 games.
If New York somehow passes the Red Sox for the
division title, voters have to consider the unthinkable:
Giambi for MVP.
I'm even more inclined to give him MVP than Comeback
Player of the Year, which feels funny given exactly
what he's coming back from.
But delivering top-5 OPS and a division crown (after
that brutal start?!) would put him right in the MVP
mix, along with A-Rod, Vlad and Big Papi.
Of course, Vlad's Angels and Papi's Red Sox could finish with
September swoons, hardly MVP-ish. And voters and fans
may like A-Rod even less than Giambi.
And there's still time for a slump like the one Giambi was riding
for 19 games until Sunday.
But, wait! What's this I heard from Giambi on Monday
night about a cortisone shot that seemed to sort out
the tendinitis that was holding him back?
Right: "Cortisone."
For "tendinitis."
(Insert air quotes yourself.)
See: Semi-serious jokes like that symbolize why Giambi
will never be considered a legit MVP candidate
in 2005, if ever again.
Even though he's earned it.
MLB Wrap
Curse of Bellhorn? Yesterday's Quickie
quip about a new Boston curse is suddenly not so funny to
Red Sox Nation, as word circulates 2B to join the
Yankees! (Come on: Who didn't see this
coming?)
Wells rips Selig: Amazingly, Boomer trumps
Schilling for insufferable commentary. Can MLB extend
his suspension for insubordination?
Kerry Wood: Season over. Wednesday's shoulder
surgery symbolizes yet another wasted, finished year in
what should've been a Cubs' dynasty.
Cy Young Watch
Cy Young Watch:
NL: StL's Carpenter wins his 19th (and
has Cy all but locked up, despite Rocket's
brilliance).
AL: ChiSox's Buehrle shelled; his shot
is slipping away. But bonus points for accusing the
Rangers of cheating at home!
Tuesday's Best: A's-Angels. It can, should and
will be a Game 1 playoff atmosphere in Anaheim when
Zito faces AL Cy contender Colon.
MNF: STL 37, DET 13
New Joey Benching O/U: Week 2
QB Harrington's breakthrough has been greatly
exaggerated. It's not like the Rams' D is the Ravens or
Steelers, and yet Joey looked befuddled by them.
Sacked, zero TDs (for 3rd straight game).
Meanwhile, Detroit affirmed the handy rule of
thumb when judging the aesthetic value of debuting
"alternative" black jerseys:
If you win, they look good.
If you lose, they look awful.
U.S. Open
Huge upset! If anyone knew that
Svetlana Kuznetsova was the defending U.S. Open champ,
then the fact she was the first one ever to lose in
the first round would be huge.
Serena Fashion Watch: No, those weren't tennis
balls dangling from her ears; you're forgiven if you
mistook 13 karats of diamonds for them.
Rafael Nadal: The men's Serena? Is he going clubbing
after his match? What else explains the black Capri
pants and ultra-tight red tank?
Gimelstob the Blogger: There's very little as
lame as a no-name athlete angling for "bloglory" by
posting something misogynistic just for the sake of
being considered "edgy."
Memo to Justin: Women's tennis is carrying both
sides of the sport right now. The "Bizarro" part is
how men's tennis manages to survive.
CFB 2K5: Heisman!
It's Matt Leinart's to lose. I already
was among the first to declare him the greatest
college QB of all time.
Next debate? Is he the best college player
ever? Needs another Heisman and another title, and
then you've got a heck of an argument.
(Too bad teammate Reggie Bush -- the Quickie's 2004
Heisman pick -- is really the most talented,
Heisman-worthy player at USC.)
Quickie Heisman Watch:
1. Reggie Bush
Amazingly, he's underrated!
2. Adrian Peterson
How to top sick frosh 2004?
3. Matt Leinart
How's that shoulder feeling?
4. Chris Leak
Meyer has track record w/ QBs
5. Vince Young
Rose Bowl was just a preview.
Coming Wednesday: Story Lines!
